Advancing age, as well as injury, can lead to changes in the bones, discs, joints, and ligaments of the spine, producing pain from nerve root compression. Under certain circumstances, alleviation of pain can be provided by performing a spinal fusion. This is a procedure that involves joining two or more adjacent vertebrae with a bone fixation device so that they no longer are able to move relative to each other. For a number of known reasons, bone fixation devices are useful for promoting proper healing of injured or damaged vertebral bone segments caused by trauma, tumor growth, or degenerative disc disease. The external fixation devices immobilize the injured bone segments to ensure the proper growth of new tissue between the damaged segments. These types of external bone fixation devices often include internal bracing and instrumentation to stabilize the spinal column to facilitate the efficient healing of the damaged area without deformity or instability, while minimizing any immobilization and post-operative care of the patient.
One such device is a bone fixation plate that is used to immobilize adjacent skeletal parts such as bones. Typically, the fixation plate is a rigid metal or polymeric plate that is positioned to span bones or bone segments that require immobilization with respect to one another. The plate is fastened to the respective bones, usually with bone screws, so that the plate remains in contact with the bones and fixes them in a desired position. Bone plates can be useful in providing the mechanical support necessary to keep vertebral bodies in a proper position and to bridge a weakened or diseased area, such as when a disc, vertebral body or fragment has been removed.
Such fixation plates have been used to immobilize a variety of bones, including vertebral bodies of the spine. These bone plate systems usually include a rigid spinal fixation plate having a plurality of openings. The openings are either holes or slots for screw placement. The spinal fixation plate is placed against the damaged vertebral bodies and bone screws are used to secure the spinal fixation plate to the spine and optionally to a prosthetic implant or bone graft positioned between the adjacent vertebrae. Implantation of the spinal fixation plate, however, can be difficult. Each spinal fixation plate must be properly aligned with the vertebral bodies, and holes for receiving the bone screws must be drilled into the vertebrae at precise angles. It is often necessary to use the spinal fixation plate as a guide for drilling and tapping the bone in preparation for receiving the bone screws. Such a procedure can be difficult, however, as the surgeon is required to securely and rigidly hold the spinal fixation plate against the vertebrae, obtain proper alignment, drill, tap, and finally set the bone screws.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved guide device that can be used to facilitate implantation of a spinal fixation element, such as a spinal fixation plate.